My Paper Mistletoe
by CaptainFlyingSparrow
Summary: Damon thought Elena would be the number one contributor to all the Christmas joy, hell he even half expected her to waltz right into the Grill and slap the holiday spirit into him. Merry Christmas TVD Delena fans! My First TVD fanfic!
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Damon thought Elena would be the number one contributor to all the Christmas joy, hell he even half expected her to waltz right into the Grill and slap the holiday spirit into him. Merry Christmas TVD Delena fans! My First TVD fanfic!

Holy crap! I wrote a oneshot!

So here it is! My first (Published) The Vampire Diaries fanficiton!

Of course it's Delena because that's just how it should be. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: No, I don't own the Vampire Diaries which also means I don't own Damon Salvatore…damnit. -.-

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><p>My Paper Mistletoe<p>

A Vampire Diaries Fanficiton

By CaptainFlyingSparrow

No matter where Damon Salvatore went in the small town of _Mystic Falls_; he couldn't escape the holiday cheer.

The town square was decorated to perfection, a large tree standing in the middle, lights flashing from its branches and illuminating the ornaments that adorned it. The town's hotspot restaurant, the _Mystic Falls Grill_ was also decorated for the season; lights hung from the ceiling, wreaths from the walls, and a beautifully decorated Christmas tree sat off in the corner by the bar. Even a toy train rolled on its railings around the tree, making whistling noises every now and then.

Mayor Lockwood was preparing for her annual Christmas Party scheduled for that Saturday night at her Mansion, while the Mystic Falls Highschool was preparing for the Christmas Parade that was scheduled to happen later on this very night.

Damon let his head fall onto the table before him with a groan, his forehead touching the cool wood. He should have just locked himself away in the Boarding House for the rest of the month. New Years he could deal with, but Christmas?

No way in hell!

Was it wrong to want to rip Santa's throat out? Tear Rudolf's glowing red nose off his face and shove it down the reindeer's throat? Or take a torch and melt Frosty the Snowman?

Damn, maybe he really was as twisted, psychotic, and vindictive as Caroline Forbs liked to say. He actually relished the idea of overthrowing Christmas one day.

He didn't notice as the very perky blond he was thinking of took a seat before him in the booth.

"Oh Damon!" she said sarcastically in a sing song voice. Oh, he would kill her too if he had the choice.

Damon raised his head again, but let it fall back to the table as his eyes caught site of her.

_Son of a bitch!_ He thought what he could do? If only he could run, maybe hide. Well shit! He was screwed!

"What the hell, do you want Caroline?" he asked, causing the blonde to raise an eyebrow.

"What's wrong with you? You're not the one who normally acts all…broody." She asked as she cocked her head to the side, a smile spreading across her face. She was clearly amused by his mood.

Damon lifted his head his ice blue eyes glaring angrily at her. "I'm not brooding." He snapped.

"Oh, ok whatever you say." Caroline replied sarcastically receiving another glare from the vampire before her.

"What do you want Vampire Barbie." He asked, her nickname falling off his tongue like venom before he took a sip from his drink, growling when he noticed it was empty. He needed to order a new one, and fast!

Caroline was clearly frustrated with something, her hands folded neatly but tightly before her, as her mind went into motion.

If she had a glass in her hand, Damon was sure it would shatter into a million pieces.

Caroline carefully chose her words as she started to speak with a calm tone; well at least she thought it was calm.

"Elena!" she said throwing her hands in the air. "I understand Christmas isn't her thing anymore but damn!"

Damon's eyes widened slightly, as the blonde babbled on before him, her voice slowly starting to get higher with each word she said.

"Elena promised that she would help with the Christmas float this year! She promised! Now that it's finally time she locks herself in her room and she won't come out!"

Damon shook his head for a moment, clearly taken aback. He would have thought Elena would be the number one contributor to all the Christmas joy hell he even half expected her to waltz right into the Grill and slap the holiday spirit into him.

"What?" he asked his voice laced with confusion. "Why?"

Caroline sighed sitting back in the bench. "Duh! Damon Christmas is a family thing, which Elena doesn't really have anymore. Also, her vampire ripper boyfriend just disappeared off the face of the earth. I understand she's depressed and very un-Elena like, but she can at least keep her promise and help! She doesn't have to stay for the parade! Even though I think it would do her some good."

Damon felt a ping of sadness in his heart at Caroline's words, Elena did have a family. Maybe not the one she wished she had back, or a normal human family but ether way she had a twisted family that cared about her. Wasn't that enough? What the hell was he thinking, of course it wasn't! Elena deserved so much more than all the shit that was handed to her on a daily bases.

Caroline shook her head as she ordered herself a drink from the waitress.

"Me, Bonnie and Jeremy have tried everything." Caroline continued, snapping Damon out of his thoughts. "But nothing is working; she won't come out of her room. She just yells that she wants to stay there and watch old Disney movies all day. I swear she's watched Bambie about seven times already since yesterday."

She shook her head again, thanking the waitress abruptly for her drink before continuing on. "She says she's fine, but of course she's not. Elena isn't just fine anymore." Caroline sighed sadly before adding "None of us are."

"Why not just let her mope and brood?" Damon suddenly asked causing Caroline to glare at him.

"Because_ Damon_, its Christmas, the "Most Wonderful Time of the Year" a time for family and friends, a time of giving, a time of being_ happy_."

She then chuckled in a very sarcastic way, lifting her hand up as if a dawn of realization had come over her.

"Why the hell am I trying to explain this to you? Like you even care or understand what I'm saying. You don't know what any of this means, family, friends, giving, and selflessness. Why must I always forget that you're an ass?"

Damon glared angrily at Caroline, his blue eyes narrow as a small growl erupted in his throat causing the blonde to stop her constant chatter.

For the first time, in a long time he saw a little bit of the old Caroline before she was a vampire. The scared little girl he used as his personal plaything. She stared back at him with wide blue eyes as he abruptly stood from the booth and threw down a couple dollars to pay for his drink before throwing down a couple more.

"There." He snapped "Time of giving right? Well there's some money for your drink."

Caroline stared up at him; mouth slightly agape as she watched him walk away. His eyes deadly as he roughly pushed open _The Grill's_ front door before venturing out into the parking lot.

Damon didn't stop as he walked across the street to where his car was parked. The sun was starting to set, causing the Christmas lights of town square to shine brightly above him as he angrily threw open his car door before climbing inside and slamming it shut behind him.

Any other day or holiday, if Caroline were to say those words he would have brushed them off ignoring her completely. He might have even said something sarcastic back.

But not around this holiday, those words only made it worse than it already was.

He drove quickly to the Boarding House not caring much for the speed limit. His hand gripped the steering wheel tightly, so tightly in fact he was shocked that it didn't shatter under his grip.

What the hell did Caroline know? She didn't know shit about him! Of course he knew about family, giving, and caring! Isn't that what he has been doing for the past year?

He rolled his eyes dramatically, maybe he should go kill a few bunnies then everyone would forget all his bad moments and forgive him.

Yeah, right.

His grip on the steering wheel loosened slightly as he pulled into the driveway of the Boarding House, he pulled the car to a stop but made no move to turn off the ignition.

He let his hand fall from the wheel onto the seat beside him, leaning his head back on the head rest as he closed his eyes.

_Just three more days. _He thought to himself. _Three more days and Christmas will be done and over with. This damn holiday will be gone for another year. _

There was a time when Damon loved Christmas, when he would sit and wait, counting the days as they past, waiting for Christmas morning when he would run across the hall into Stefan's bedroom, waking his little brother.

Stefan's big green eyes would sparkle at the very mention of Christmas; he would bolt out of the room Damon right on his heels before bursting into their parent's room, not caring about the glares their father would send them.

Their mother, long black hair and big blue eyes would smile brightly as she climbed out of bed. Damon's hand in her right, Stefan's in her left as the two little boys almost dragged her down the stairs of the old Salvatore mansion, right to the living area of their home where the large Christmas tree stood decorated in all its glory, presents around its bottom waiting to be opened, cookies baked, and a large fire burning in the fireplace.

If Damon knew that would be the last Christmas he was going to spend with his mother, if he would have known that exactly one year from that time she would be gone forever, he would have paid more attention, enjoyed it more. These were the moments when he wished video cameras were invented in the 1800's, because he wanted nothing more than to spend this Christmas and every Christmas replaying that one video, and that video only.

He quickly shook his thoughts away, his mind thinking over what Caroline had said earlier at _The Grill_.

He wasn't the only one not in the Christmas Spirit, of course brooding wasn't really Damon's thing, but considering that he didn't have to be alone in not enjoying this horrible holiday he might as well be with someone he actually liked being around.

Well _liked_ wasn't really the right word when it came to Elena Gilbert.


	2. Chapter 2

My Paper Mistletoe

Chapter Two

Why the hell couldn't people just leave her the hell alone? Just let her be, let her mope, let her brood, let her be sad and depressed. She deserved to feel this way!

No, it was completely impossible. It wasn't wired in their DNA.

Why did people make it their god given mission to save her? Whether it was from herself, or from vindictive crazy vampires using her as their personal hybrid making blood bag. Or trying to tell her how she should go on with her life, which person ..or vampire she should be with, what emotions she should fight and not fight.

Who did they think they were? Telling her how to feel, how to be?

It was only about thirty or so minutes ago that she ran her best friends Caroline Forbes and Bonnie Bennett from her bedroom door.

They had tried every possible angle. From: You need it to keep you going. Come on, it will be fun. Take a break from the supernatural shit in your world! Then the low blow… your parents would have wanted you to be happy.

That one sentence almost made Elena go against everything she had planned on doing this Christmas holiday, which involved a lot of junk food, ice cream, movies and brooding.

But she stood her ground, and her friends left dragging their feet out of her home in defeat.

She found total peace as the house around her became utterly quite. Alaric was at the school helping with the annual Mystic Falls Christmas Parade, making sure all the floats were in tip top shape. Jeremy gave up on Elena a long time ago and decided to spend the evening with Bonnie driving around town and looking at Christmas lights.

Elena already knew that Caroline was beyond angry with her for blowing off the Christmas Parade, but like the blonde vampire needed her help anyway. Caroline was always way better at the convention and event stuff than Elena, which left Elena, happily (to an extent) completely alone.

She looked at the bed before her, proud of her organized junk food skills. Her computer sat ready a whole stack of DVD's sitting beside it _Bambie, Pirates of the Caribbean, Pride and Prejudice, The Tourist, The Secret Life Of Bee's, _and _The Breakfast Club._

Her food: chips of four different flavors, rice crisps, cookies, some animal crackers, and a carton of Tiramisu ice cream.

Oh yeah, she was going to feel like crap later, but it was _so_ going to be worth it.

She was just about to climb into bed and begin her long weekend when a tapping noise filled her room.

She paused; her heartbeat loud in her ears as she listened for the noise again.

A year ago, she wouldn't have thought anything of the things that went bump in the night. But considering the world she lived in now, where vampires, witches, werewolves and even ghosts weren't just things of fiction. Elena Gilbert was _very_ aware of the things that went bump in the night.

Elena nearly jumped when the tapping started again, her heart hammering in her chest as she swallowed the sudden lump of fear that formed in her throat.

She carefully kneeled down beside her bed, reaching under her mattress and pulling out a well carved stake and holding it tightly in her small hand.

The tapping continued, she listened, following the source to her window that stood securely shut from the inside.

Maybe it was just the tree outside her window?

Elena Gilbert couldn't take any chances.

She slowly stepped forward, pulling the curtain away just slightly so she could peer out into the dark winter night.

She sighed in relief when she found that it was the tree that was causing the tapping, she watched as it lightly hit her window the branches scraping against the glass.

She shook her head smiling lightly to herself; here she was all "Warrior Princess" ready as Damon Salvatore liked to call her, against a tree.

She looked around the outside of her window once more, her eyes focusing on a car that drove down the street before she started to let her curtain fall back into place.

_BAM!_

Elena screamed out as a hand slammed against the outside of the glass, a pair of bright blue eyes starting right into her frightened brown ones. Realization hit her full force when she recognized the person who stood on the roof outside of her window. His laughter muffled through the glass.

"Damon!" she yelled angrily only causing him to laugh harder.

"Oh come on!" he said from his crouched position on the roof, "Put down the stake Elena and open your window!"

Elena rolled her eyes, her hand resting upon her hip as she glared angrily at the vampire before her. "Go away Damon, I know Caroline and Bonnie sent you over here. I'm fine, f-i-n-e. Now go away."

Damon in return rolled his own eyes shaking his head, "No I wasn't sent over here, I go places on my own accord, not because some blonde hopire and judgy witch tell me too."

Elena let her head cock to the side just slightly as she gave Damon a knowing look, her eyebrows rising just slightly as the stake dangled lightly in her right hand.

"Fine." Damon admitted "I got an inkling that you have locked yourself out of the Christmas spirit. But I wasn't _told_, to come save the day."

Elena sighed clearly frustrated, "Well you can just jump off my roof and head on home Damon. No need to waste your holiday trying to make me enjoy it." She said as she pulled her curtain closed. Damon watched amused as her silhouette walked away from the window back to her bed, completely ignoring him.

"Miss. Gilbert, Miss Gilbert, oh…willeth thou openeth your window please…eth?"

Elena rolled her eyes but couldn't help the smile that found its way across her face as she shook her head.

With a sigh, she stood from her bed and walked to her window pulling the curtain back just enough so she could see Damon and his trademark smirk.

"On one condition." She called out loud enough so he could hear her through the glass. "No slapping holiday spirit into me!"

Damon raised his right hand and placed it on his unbeating heart. "I promise to brood, mope and not enjoy this Christmas holiday at your side."

Elena gave him a smile before opening the window, letting in the cool night breeze. Damon quickly made his way inside, shaking himself slightly as the warm air hit him.

Elena quickly closed the window before latching it shut, letting her white curtain fall back in place. Damon watched her intently his brows knitting together. Caroline wasn't lying when she said Elena was in a brooding mood.

She sighed softly as she turned to him, giving him a small smile. He smiled back slightly cocking his head to the side as he slid his jacket off his shoulders throwing it over the chair against her wall.

"So, if you're not here to get me into the "Christmas Spirit." What are you doing here?" Elena asked as he started to walk around her room picking up the various objects and looking at them before placing them back on her shelves.

"Curiosity." Damon said picking up the _Pirates of the Caribbean_ movie before placing it back onto the bed "I thought you would be all in the Holiday joy of Mystic Falls Miss. Gilbert." He said looking up at her with a knowing look.

"Not in the mood I suppose." Elena said as she walked to her bed, sitting down with a sigh. "Maybe if things weren't so screwed up."

"I'm just going to go ahead and assume that you didn't help put up the Christmas tree downstairs." Damon stated as he started going through the drawers of her vanity…again.

"No." Elena said clearly not paying attention as he pulled out pair of her underwear with a matching bra both a bright red, a smile played on his lips as he set them on the top of the vanity before moving on to the next drawer.

"It's not that I didn't want to." Elena admitted as she looked down at her hands, noticing that her nails were bitten down a little too close for her comfort. "It's just something, me and mom used to do while Jeremy and Dad cooked."

Damon looked over his shoulder as she laughed, but it wasn't a happy laugh it was broken.

Damon's heart broke at the sight of her. This was wrong, it was wrong that she couldn't live the life that she deserved. It wasn't her fault that she happened to be the doppelganger to a vindictive vampire who screwed over an original vampire werewolf hybrid.

"Dad could never get the Christmas tree together, every time the pieces would just fall apart. He would get so frustrated! Finally mom just said "Oh to hell with it! Go cook!" and that was the way it went." Elena smiled looking up at Damon who gave her a little smile before looking down in the drawer he was currently digging in, a small blue box sitting inside of it.

"What about you Damon?" Elena suddenly asked. "How come you're not in the holiday joy?"

Damon bit his lower lip, before answering the same way she had him. "Not in the mood I suppose." That had to be the biggest lie of the century.

He suddenly heard Elena jump off the bed, her heart beating fast in her chest and loud in his ears.

"What are you doing!" she snapped, he instantly grabbed the box pushing the drawer shut as she came up behind him.

"Exploring," Damon said with a smirk.

Elena caught sight of the box that sat in his hands "Why do you always have to go through my things!"

"I'm trying to know you better." Damon said a pained expression on his face, and then a smile spread out across it. "I'll show you mine if you like?"

Then came the eye thing.

Elena growled angrily at the butterflies that erupted in her stomach as he wiggled his eyebrows, his blue eyes playful as he smiled down at her.

"Give me that box." Elena said angrily trying to grab it.

Just as she was about to snatch it out of his hand he pulled it back, looking down at it with big eyes.

"I wonder what's inside." He said beginning to open it.

Elena jumped forward but Damon was too quick, he bolted out of the room and down the stairs, and into the living room that was lit only by the lights of the Christmas tree.

Elena was right on his heels as she chased him, nearly falling down the stairs in her haste.

"Damon! Seriously give that back!" She yelled. She grabbed the railing to keep herself from falling as she came to the bottom before running into the living room where he stood.

He held the box in his hand threatening to open it.

"Damon." Elena warned her brown eyes deadly as she glared at him. It actually frightened him how much she looked like Katherine at the moment, so much in fact he almost thought it was her. Elena's still beating heart was the only thing telling him otherwise. "Give me the box."

"No." Damon said almost like a child. "What's inside that happens to be so important?"

"Would you like it if I went through your box?" Elena threatened as she took one more step coming to a stop about a foot from the vampire.

Her brows knitted together in confusion however when a surprised look spread across his features. One she had never seen before.

It was just a blow, she didn't actually think Damon had a box hidden away somewhere in his room, she was just trying to make a point.

Curiosity suddenly filled her as she took in Damon's sudden change in demeanor, he then to her amazement handed her back the blue box letting his arm fall limply to his side as she grasped it in her hands.

"You have a keep sake box?" she asked causing Damon to tense just slightly. She knitted her brows together; as he nodded his head he almost seemed reluctant to tell her.

"Yeah, I mean" he said shrugging trying to make it sound like it wasn't really a big deal. "I wanted to keep some stuff over the years."

Elena could tell there was more meaning behind his words as he spoke, and it touched her.

"Yeah…" she said looking at the box in her hand a smile across her face. "Me too."

-ooo-

As much as Elena Gilbert hated to admit it, the night went by too fast for her liking. The reaction over Elena's blue box was soon forgotten, placed away in its drawer and she and Damon continued on with their night of junk food and movies.

However, the movie went completely unnoticed, the sounds of clashing swords and angry pirates filled her room as she found herself fighting tooth and nail against Damon, as he decided to point out each of his favorites of her many undergarments and swim suits.

Of course each choice was the most revealing he could find.

Then when he finally got bored he moved on to the pictures on her vanity, taking great pleasure in the one that showed the two of them at the Mystic Falls Beauty Pageant.

It wasn't long until he found her box full of diaries, which were hidden well underneath her bed.

She nearly screamed when she returned from the restroom to find him sitting on the floor one opened in his lap as he began to read a bag of chips sitting beside him.

"Damon! What the hell are you doing!" she screamed snatching the diary from his hands grabbing the others from the floor and throwing them into the box before shoving it under the bed.

"Oh come on!" Damon stated as she stood back up grabbing the bag of chips from him.

"What did you read!" she snapped angrily.

"Nothing I didn't know before." Damon said a knowing smirk spreading across his face, "Just so you know, I love the way you look naked too."

She smacked him hard in the shoulder, but couldn't help the laughter that fell from her lips.

About an hour later, they both sat on the floor in the living room the carton of Tiramisu ice cream sitting between them. They didn't talk, they didn't utter a word. They instead just enjoyed one another's presence until the carton was completely empty.

Damon placed his spoon inside the carton before stretching his arms a smile spread across his lips.

Elena soon threw her spoon in afterword stretching herself before leaning back against the couch. She licked her fingers as she stared at the Christmas tree before her, the lights glistening off her brown eyes.

She turned her gaze to Damon, his blue eyes locking with hers for a moment before he quickly averted his eyes towards the tree.

The lights reflected off his eyes beautifully, causing her to smile and quickly blush when he caught her gaze.

"Why don't you like Christmas Damon?" Elena asked looking over at him.

Damon shrugged "Old bad memories, that's all."

Elena frowned biting her lip as she turned so she was facing him.

"What happened?" she asked, Damon looked over at her with broken eyes before shaking his head.

"Come on." Elena said "We're supposed to be brooding and moping around anyway."

Damon sighed in defeat.

"My mother died on Christmas." He said looking over at her, her brows knitted together at the expression he held on his face. She wasn't sure if it was out of anger or sadness.

"I got sick, really sick around Christmas, and my mother was the one who took care of me. She got what I got…and it killed her."

Elena cast her eyes away from his face as he stared at the Christmas tree before them, her gaze burning invisible holes into the carpet.

Damon's eyes found one of the little lightbulbs upon the tree that sparked his interest; it seemed it was the brightest one as his eyes focused on it burning his vision.


	3. Chapter 3

My Paper Mistletoe

Chapter Three

The constant coughing is what woke him on Christmas morning, he didn't run into his little brothers bedroom as he had done many Christmas's before. He wasn't even excited about the holiday.

He instead found himself walking down the hall to his mother's bedroom, where he softly opened the door.

Through the crack he saw his mother sitting up in the bed, a handkerchief held in her hand as the maid tried to help her eat.

"It's no use Mary." His mother said sadly "It won't stay down."

The maid was about to argue, but was cut off when his mother interrupted her looking straight at the door, her blue eyes mirroring his.

"Damon dear you can come in."

He slowly walked into the room, careful not to get to close to his mother.

"What are you doing up so late? Saint Nicolas isn't going to stop by if you're not asleep darling."

He didn't reply, he only looked at her with sad eyes and the longing of being in his mother's arms. He wasn't sure if it was because he knew she was going to die only a few hours later, because his human instincts were telling him so.

"Come here." She said with a broken smile opening her arms for him to come into.

Damon only shook his head. "Father said that I'm the one who made you this way. I wouldn't want to make you more ill"

Her arms fell softly to her sides before she whispered for the maid to leave.

Mary nodded before quickly exiting the room, placing a hand on Damon's shoulder giving it a small squeeze on her way out.

When Mary closed the door softly behind her, his mother's eyes locked with his once more.

"Damon is that what your father told you?" she asked seriously. The boy before her to nodded his head. "Well it isn't true." She said reassuring him with a smile.

That was all it took, in a moment he was off the ground on the bed and buried in his mother's arms where she held him tightly shushing him with calming words.

"I'm going to be alright dear." She said brushing a lock of his black hair away from his eyes. "It's just a cold."

"You promise?" he asked sitting upright so he was looking at her face on.

His mother shook her head sadly "I can't promise that dear." She said before grabbing the handkerchief and covering a cough that erupted through her throat.

When she regained her bearings she softly placed her hands on Damon's shoulders, "Can you promise me something?"

Damon nodded causing his mother to smile only slightly.

"No matter what happens between you and your brother, for it might not seem like it at the moment, you two will have your differences and will have the moments where you might even hate one another. No matter what you will protect each other." Her voice, even though weak was full of authority. Damon nodded giving her a small smile.

"I promise." He replied.

"That's my boy." She said brushing her fingers through his hair before patting his cheek with her hand.

Damon jumped when the door opened, his father stalking inside an angry scowl across his face.

"What are you doing in here boy? Get to bed your mothers trying to rest."

"Giuseppe!" Damon's mother snapped, clearly annoyed by his father's foul mood.

Giuseppe ignored her, roughly grabbing Damon's arm and pulling him off the bed pushing him towards the bedroom door. "Get to bed." He said abruptly.

Damon nodded muttering a "Yes sir" before looking to his mother once more, she smiled at him.

"Love you my son, tell Stefan I love him too will you?" she asked. Damon nodded before bidding both his parents goodnight.

He could hear his parents bicker back and forth as he returned back to his room; however he stopped when he saw Stefan peer out his bedroom door his wide green eyes locking with Damon's blue ones.

"Are you alright?" Damon asked kneeling down just a bit so he was level with Stefan. Stefan nodded.

"Is mother alright?" he asked his voice full of concern as he spoke.

Damon sighed softly before giving Stefan a smile.

"Yes, I think so; she says is just a cold."

Stefan's shoulders relaxed as a wave of relief washed over his features. "Merry Christmas brother." He whispered happily before retreating back into his room closing the door softly behind him.

Damon stood back up as he continued down the hall to his room, a small tear escaping his eye as he opened his bedroom door.

In just the next few hours the house was in havoc. Damon and Stefan sat upon Damon's bed their legs dangling off the side as they listened to the commotion from outside the bedroom door.

It was only a few minutes ago that their mother started to scream in pain, both Stefan and Damon had bolted out of their bedrooms to her aid and were quickly pushed into Damon's bedroom by the maid. Her instructions clear as she frantically told them to stay put.

The commotion outside of the door creased after a moment, Damon jumped from the bed quietly walking to the door Stefan on his heels. With great effort, Damon opened the door slowly careful not to make a noise so he and his little brother could peer out into the hall.

They looked past the maids dresses who stood before their door, watching as the doctor walked up the steps to his mothers room.

Damon had a clear view into his mother's bedroom that stood at the end of the hall; she lay on the bed her eyes closed. Her black hair wet against her pillow as she lay unmoving.

He felt his breath hitch as he watched the doctor shake his head at his father. Stefan looked over at Damon a pained expression written across his features as realization hit the brother's full force.

Their mother was dead.

Suddenly the sound of their father's footsteps sounded throughout the house as he stomped across the hall. The maids quickly moved out of his way as he pushed open Damon's bedroom door open causing the two boys to jump back abruptly.

Out of instinct Damon shielded Stefan with his body, pushing his younger brother behind him as their father stormed into the room.

When Giuseppe's eyes met with Damon's he pointed his finger in the boys face his voice full of rage as he spoke.

"I curse the day you were born you little demon." He spat. "You're the reason why your brother's mother is dead. If you wouldn't have gotten sick, she wouldn't have had to take care of you. She would have never gotten ill, but instead you had to be selfish and now your brother has to grow up without a proper mother. You should be ashamed of yourself."

His father's words hurt him as he flinched each time his father made an abrupt move. Damon held his hand back to make sure Stefan stayed securely behind him.

"It should have been you." His father spat before grabbing Stefan by the arm and practically dragging him out of the room.

"Come along son." He said his voice slightly calmer and softer as he started to close Damon's bedroom door. "It's just you and me now."

The light disappeared from the hall as the door was slammed shut, the wind blowing out the candle on Damon's nightstand beside his bed.

-000-

"My father blamed me till the day he died." Damon continued. "Blamed me so much in fact that I actually thought it was my fault she died. That I was the one who was supposed to die that night not her."

Elena watched him intently as he looked over at her a sarcastic smile finding its way across his face. "Funny thing isn't it? I killed me and Stefan's mother while he killed our father." He chuckled sadly looking back at the Christmas tree once more.

Elena could see the pain that spread across his face. His brows knitted together as he bit his lower lip before continuing. "That's why, I hate Christmas. It's a constant reminder of why my father hated my guts." He said looking down at the wrapped Christmas presents that sat upon the floor.

Elena sighed deeply, forcing back the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes.

"It's not your fault Damon." Elena said softly causing the vampires eyes to lock with hers. "What happened wasn't your fault. She could have been sick before you. Back then people didn't have the things we have now."

"I know." Damon sighed softly.

"I'm sorry." She whispered placing a hand on his arm giving it a small squeeze. He gave her a halfhearted smile.

"It's ok." Damon said "It wasn't long until I realized that my Dad was just an ass and there was nothing I could do to change it. So I decided what the hell, I'll just be the bigger ass and give his shit right back at him."

Elena watched as Damon's demeanor changed instantly, his old cocky self coming back to the surface the moment his story was over.

The mask he always wore when really he was upset.

Elena stood up from the ground walking over to the television and grabbed the remote.

Damon watched in confusion when she turned it on before flipping it to one of the Sirius Music Channels. Instantly the room was filled with the music of the Holiday, "Its Beginning to Feel a lot Like Christmas" filtering through the air around them.

She turned around looking him dead in the eye.

This was the Elena he expected to see today, the one who was going to slap the Christmas Spirit into him. The Elena who was going to force the holiday down his throat whether he liked it or not. From the way the music blared from the speakers of the TV, he was sure she was going to punch it into him instead.

"What are you doing?" he asked

"It's Christmas!" Elena said grabbing his hand and pulling him up so he was standing. "It's a time for family and friends, a time to be happy."

She gave him a bright smile before walking over to the coat closet and reaching onto the top shelf pulling out a box that was decorated in Christmas Trees and Snowmen.

"We are a family, a twisted screwed up family, but a family none the less." She said placing the box on the coffee table before opening it revealing a bunch of paper handmade ornaments.

"So tomorrow, we are going to have a Christmas Dinner, we are going to watch Christmas movies. Then on Christmas day we are going to open presents. All of us, me, you, Bonnie, Jeremy, Caroline, her mom, and Alaric…everyone!" She continued as she turned, her brown eyes locking with his blue ones.

Damon watched her in amazement, as her whole mood changed. Just moments ago she wanted nothing more than to do anything but anything that had to do with Christmas. Yet here she was about to force him into decorating the Christmas tree something that he hadn't done since he was ten years old.

"Right now, you're going to help me decorate the tree with these." Elena said as she reached down and grabbed a paper snowflake and holding it out to him. Damon softly took it from her hand careful not to rip it as he looked down at it.

He smiled slightly as his eyes caught her name and age written upon the paper _Elena Age 6_ clearly in her mother's handwriting.

He looked up from the snowflake in his hand before placing it on the tree causing Elena's smile to grow wider.

"Give me another one." He said with a smile. Elena happily picked up a few and handed them to the vampire before her, before reaching into the box and grabbing several herself.

They worked together for quite some time, and after a moment Elena was starting to sing along with the music as she cheerfully jumped around the dimly lighted room.

When she didn't know the words she just hummed, Damon was even shocked himself when he ended up humming along with her.

He no longer wanted to rip Santa's throat out, or rip Rudolf's nose off and shove it down the reindeer's throat. Or take a torch and melt Frosty the snowman.

He couldn't help but smile when he came across a paper made mistletoe. With a grin he hung it from the beam between the living area and the kitchen careful to make sure Elena wasn't watching him.

Elena cheered happily as she stepped away from the Christmas Tree a few moments later, pulling Damon with her until they were standing right under the beam where he secretly hung the mistletoe.

"It looks wonderful!" Elena said with a smile.

Damon looked at the Christmas tree where the handmade ornaments hung from its branches. Two held pictures, one of Jeremy when he was in kindergarten, the other of Elena.

Snowmen, snowflakes, Santa's, Christmas trees and even Disney characters hung from the branches of the tree. It most definitely didn't match at all, but neither of them minded.

Damon smiled at himself; he couldn't help but actually feel happy in this moment. He couldn't help but enjoy the way he was feeling. He glanced over at Elena, a bright smile spread out across her face.

The lights twinkled in her brown eyes as she looked over their decorating skills. Damon followed her gaze, his own mouth turning upwards as the white lights sparkled brightly before them.

"Ok, this move was deliberate." Elena said causing Damon to turn his eyes away from the tree to her.

She looked up at him with a knowing look, before lifting her eyes to where the paper mistletoe hung. Damon followed her gaze, his blue eyes sparkling brightly as he looked down into her eyes.

"Oh will you look at that." He said with a smile."It's your mistletoe!"

Elena brows knitted together in confusion before looking up at the mistletoe once more. It was made of construction paper, complete with little red circles for the berries. There written on one of the leaves was her name, with a seven written neatly beside it.

"It's my paper mistletoe." She said causing him to smile brightly as he turned so he was facing her completely.

"It still means the same thing." He said softly his eyes searching hers.

Elena looked down from the mistletoe back into his blue eyes. Elena couldn't help the smile that found its way across her face, as she nodded her head.

"Yes, it does."

Damon's smile grew wider for a moment before shrinking once more, as his eyes locked with hers, causing her breath to catch as she caught site of the love that resided there. They were like a mood ring that never changed color, they mirrored his emotions to the "t" as they bore into her soul, captivating her and causing her heart to race in her chest.

He slowly, ever so slowly leaned forward it was as if he was hesitating giving her a chance to run.

She waited, never moving a muscle as she leaned upwards just slightly so her lips were closer to his.

Her eyes fluttered closed as she felt their noses brush just slightly, but then to her utter amazement his lips never touched hers, instead they settled softly on her cheek bone, lingering there for just a moment before he slowly pulled back.

Elena opened her eyes; her brown orbs locking with his blue eyes as they twinkled lightly in the Christmas lights of the tree.

"Merry Christmas Elena." He said with a smile, a true smile.

Elena couldn't help but smile back, "Merry Christmas Damon."

Then as if on cue the front door swung open, Alaric and Jeremy walked in, Bonnie and Caroline right on their heels.

"I thought Mr. Rickson's house was the best." Bonnie said as she followed close behind Caroline.

"Oh please!" Caroline said turning around so she was facing the witch. "Mr. and Mrs. Justin's house was the best! Did you see that tree?"

Alaric stepped into the living room, a smile spread across his face as he heard the Christmas music playing softly in the background.

Jeremy stood beside him, glancing around the empty living room before his eyes fell upon the decorated Christmas tree smiling brightly when he caught site of the newly added decorations.

"I guess Elena finally got the Christmas Spirit knocked into her?" Alaric commented as Bonnie and Caroline looked at one another with a smile.

"She sure did." Caroline said smiling brightly as her eyes fell upon the mistletoe that hung from the beam.


	4. Chapter 4

My Paper Mistletoe

Chapter Four

"That's my cue." Damon whispered as he softly placed Elena on the wood floor of her bedroom his arms sliding slowly from around her waist.

Elena sighed at the loss of contact, her hands sliding from his shoulders. She heard the laughter from downstairs as Caroline and Bonnie argued over whose house had the best lights this year.

She watched as Damon pulled away from her, reaching for his jacket before slipping it on.

"You don't have to go." Elena couldn't stop the words as they fell from her lips. Her eyes snapped to his as he froze, clearly as taken aback. He quickly pushed it aside with a smile, continuing to her window.

"I don't want Alaric to stake me." Damon said sarcastically, turning so he was facing her.

Elena couldn't help the small laughter that erupted in her throat, funny how the history teacher had become such a father figure in just the past year.

"No, I wouldn't want that either." She commented.

Damon gave her a small smile, opening her window before climbing out onto the roof.

"I'll see you tomorrow ok." He said as he climbed out onto the roof, looking over his shoulder at her.

Elena nodded, smiling sweetly back at him "Come early! I want you to cook."

Damon rolled his eyes shaking his head as he chuckled softly. He turned away from her then, bracing himself for his leap to the ground below.

He stopped however when her voice called out to him. He turned so he was facing her, and watched as she quickly walked across the room, kneeling on her window seat as she leaned slightly out the window.

"Your gonna come early right?" she asked her eyes searching his. She didn't want to sound desperate, but she knew that was the way it came out. Truthfully she didn't him to cook, she just wanted to be with him again as soon as possible.

She knew it was wrong, to feel these things just a few weeks after letting Stefan go, but she was sick of fighting these feelings.

Damon's eyes looked deep into hers, a crooked smile creeping across his face.

"Sure." He answered, his voice soft as he spoke.

Elena smiled brightly, nodding her head.

"Great! I'll bake the cookies! You take care of the food. I'll tell Caroline to take care of the cupcakes, and Bonnie can make…whatever!" Elena said throwing her hands up slightly as she let out a laugh.

Damon smiled as her laughter filled his ears; it was the most beautiful thing he had ever heard. It filled his soul and if it was possible it might even make is unbeating heart start again.

Her eyes locked with his again, her laughter dying just slightly.

She wasn't sure who moved first, but it was as if gravity pulled them toward one another and just moments later his lips were brushing against hers.

This time, the kiss was not forced, it was not out of sadness, and it was not a goodbye.

She reached upwards her fingers gripping his leather jacket as she pulled him closer to her; he cupped her face gently in his hands as he moved his lips against hers. The winter air cool against her skin that burned under his soft touch.

Her heart hammered in her chest as he pulled back, allowing her to breath as his head rested against hers.

Their breath turned to fog before them, intertwining, before evaporating into the cool night air.

She made no effort to move, she held onto him as she shook lightly from the cold as it tickled her bare arms.

"It's cold outside." She whispered lightly, causing Damon to chuck softly.

"Yes, it is." He said pulling back just slightly so he could look at her.

"How about you come back inside?" Once again, Elena Gilbert surprised him. He looked at her with great interest as she gracefully took his hand in hers. His ring cool against her fingers as she tried to pull him back into her room.

Damon didn't fight her; he climbed back through her window. A smile spread out across his face as he heard her shut it softly behind him.

She smiled up at him as she walked across the room cleaning the bed of all the junk food and movies from earlier that night. With one quick flick of her wrists the blanket went up, and he heard the crumbs of four different flavors of chips, animal crackers, and popcorn fall to the wood floor.

When she was finally finished, Damon shrugged off his jacket and boots. He threw his jacket over the chair against the wall before placing his boots beside it. Elena brushed a lock of her brunette hair behind her ear as she pulled back the covers, before grabbing two more pillows from her closet.

She placed the pillows against her headboard and climbed into the right side of the bed. Damon climbed in after her, resting his head on the pillow with a smile.

"Damn, if I would have known it was this easy to get you in bed I would have found that paper mistletoe a long time ago." He said sarcastically causing Elena to roll her eyes.

She reached over and flicked off her lamp before settling back into the bed so she was facing him.

"You know what I want for Christmas?" he asked.

Elena nuzzled her head into her pillow as her eyes locked with his.

"What?" she asked her voice laced with curiosity.

"To wake up tomorrow, and realize that none of this was a dream."

Elena stared at him for a long moment, her eyes searching his as a wave of sadness washed over her.

She reached over, placing a hand upon his cheek giving him a soft smile.

"Well, that makes the two of us."

Damon smiled back his eyes sparkling in the dim moonlight that shone through her bedroom window.

Elena closed her eyes, as she pushed herself closer to him on the bed feeling comfort in his presence as he relaxed beside her. She felt his arm snake protectively around her settling on her back as he pulled her close.

She relished in this moment, the sound of her twisted family's laughter filling the first floor of her home, the Christmas music that played softly in the background, the warmth and love she felt in the arms of the man/vampire who loved her. She knew it wouldn't last long, these small moments in their crazy lives. So she enjoyed them while they lasted.

Even though she wanted nothing more than to spend Christmas with her mom and dad, she knew that life was gone. Christmas was about making memories and with who better than her twisted crazy family?

As for Damon Salvatore, maybe Christmas wasn't all that bad…well, as long as Elena Gilbert was involved he was going to be just fine.

* * *

><p>AN So did I do good for my first TVD fanfic (that I've published anyway)? I don't really know how Damon and Stefan's mother dies, so I just made something up. Please forgive me if I get some stuff wrong. I watch the show I didn't really read the books.

Please read and review! Tell me what you think! Thanks peeps! You can follow me (at)EclipseTodd on Twitter!


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